


Ma Belle Evangeline

by cootpancake



Series: Pancake's Starbucks Sippy Cup [8]
Category: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game)
Genre: Actually just indulgence, Dancing, Disney Songs, First Kiss, Io Sings, M/M, Matchmaking, Not Beta Read, Slow Dancing, and Io to sing you think she doesnt sing lullabies when everyone is asleep, like legit i just wanted my boys to dance with each other, yep you read that right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 02:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21067367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cootpancake/pseuds/cootpancake
Summary: Io and pretty much everyone in the Resistance knows about the feelings between a certain god and his disciple, it makes her and others frustrated to watch two adult men dance around their feelings for each other like lovestruck teenagers. So when the two partake in quiet nighttime meditation, Io decides to take the wheel and send the night into a different direction.And into the stillness, she brings them a song.





	Ma Belle Evangeline

**Author's Note:**

> Yes the title is named after the song that Io will sing in this fic. It is a Disney love song called 'Ma Belle Evangeline', it's from Princess and The Frog which is one of my favourite Disney movies of all time. If you want an idea of what you're getting into before this fic, then you might want to listen to it. (If for some reason you are uncultured and haven't heard it jkjkjk) 
> 
> Also yes, I haven't changed the lyrics to fit genders because I would then have to change the French parts and that is too much for a monolingual retard like me, let's just say that Io is honouring the original version of the song and that it's not important.
> 
> The fic in which Io plays matchmaker on two grown men, deciding to turn the tide of their private time and sets the mood with a special song.
> 
> Also, in the Paladins universe, since Disney doesn't exist, I decided that Io knows the song because thousands of years ago her dad would sing it to her, (since the song describes someone being the light of their life), but she instead decides to use it for romantic purposes.
> 
> (NOT BETA READ MY FAT LAZY ASS AINT DOING IT)
> 
> Rated T for a scene that depicts Buck's sexual desire for Jenos.

Midnight silence drifted through the cold air, not a single sound was caught on the breeze, for it was completely quiet. The night was so empty you would most likely hear a rabbit move around in some bushes even if it was miles away. The only thing that took up the night sky was each twinkling star and the radiant moon, it’s broken pieces floating around it’s jagged edges, beaming down it’s silver rays onto the Realm, to coat all of the land in a soft, yet subdued glow.

It was the perfect night for meditation, then again, any night was good for meditation if you were Buck or Jenos, who would meditate out on the edge of the hillside, basking in the moon’s radiant light. The only thing you could hear was their synchronised breaths, and even if you wanted to try and hear them breathe, you would have to get incredibly close to do so. Both men were locked in high levels of focus, bodies unmoving, faces unchanging and minds swirling with energy and force.

It always reminded Buck, of how Io would tell him that Jenos was able to maintain complete stillness for days, even weeks at a time, she would even have to go and check on him to make sure he hadn’t accidentally ceased to exist and ascended to a plane of life that was higher than the heavens. To Buck, it was really cool, he struggled to stay still for a few hours without becoming restless, but for someone to have such self-control and willpower to be able to not move for days? That was incredible.

Buck’s life was the living embodiment of ‘I meditated so much I might ascend to a higher plane of existence’. Meditation seemed to be the solution for everything when you were a monk. Strengthen the mind? Meditate. Strengthen the soul? Meditate. Trying to communicate with Jenos to help prevent to heat death of the universe? Meditate. But it wasn’t all just monk stuff, it helped clear your head and cleanse your mind of all irrational or unwanted thoughts.

Unwanted thoughts that Buck had been having a heaping tablespoon of recently.

The way that he was get distracted out of his daily life just because he was busy thinking about a certain cosmic god. Thinking about his ever-so-regal presence, the way he could easily hush and entire room with just a single word, the way he held his head high and exposed his strong jawline as a display of power, the way he effortlessly intimated a group of people and looked absolutely amazing doing it, the way he could sit in complete silence with his hair rushing past his face and he wouldn’t even move to tuck it behind his ear to get it out of his way, like a complete badass.

Those weren’t as far as his thoughts would go, his mind has wandered to further places that he never anticipated. Sometimes Buck had wondered if Jenos was sensitive, maybe a single ghosting hand would be enough to make him squirm, maybe Buck would dip his hand down below the god’s waistband, lightly running a calloused finger over Jenos’-

_Stop, now. That’s- Damn, not right now…_

Buck mentally scolded himself for his inappropriate thoughts that he was having, only worsened by the fact that the person he was fantasising about was sitting right next to him, deep in thought and immune to all surrounding sound. Looking down at the god, he observed the way his head was slightly peaked up to catch the night time breeze within his hair, the way he sat completely still, even when he was hovering above the ground, his level of focus was incredibly high, it only made Buck wonder about what went on inside his head during his meditation.

Now he’d gone and done it, he was unfocused, so meditating was pretty much out of the picture, after opening his eyes, he looked up to the moon. It made Buck think, that if Atlas were to send him back in time to see his younger self, and he told him that one day he would stay by both Io and Jenos then his younger self would’ve thought he was crazy, that there would never be a world in which he would stand beside such high powers. But now, here he was, sitting beside Jenos, his guard was down, and he did not show caution, he was comfortable in the other man’s presence, almost as if they were friends.

To Buck, it was strange, how in such a short amount of time he was able to go from worshipping this god, to generally respecting the god, to now having his heart pound back and forth in his chest whenever this god was near him. What other god did he anger to deserve this? Buck mentally cursed the heavens, he was pretty sure there was a goddess of positive emotion, so he supposed he should curse her. Her and damn love or whatnot.

The night felt strange, the air was strangely charged with energy. Buck felt it wash over his skin, goosebumps starting to rise on his skin, and he looked down to Jenos for some kind of answer. The god looked up and around for a moment, seemingly having felt the strange rush of power in the air, tilting his head upwards to see the moons iridescent shine.

“It is merely Io, do not think much of it, but her presence is among us.” Jenos tilted his head back down, he could recognise Io’s power when it was among him, since within his first few years of godhood, he had to become used to how strong the goddess’ power was. Considering that Jenos was bestowed with a form of her power, it was no strange thing that he would be able to tell what her energy felt like. And considering he has known her for hundreds of years.

Io had been found out, but it didn’t stop her from what she had planned. It annoyed her, sometimes it even upset her, to watch two adult men dance around their feelings for one another. She was certain, completely certain, since she’s known Jenos for hundreds of years, she can easily recognise the changes in his behaviour. Not to mention that their endless pining has also taken a toll on their battle performance, which isn’t good when you are in a group of people that exist to fight against trained soldiers.

Staying hidden within the night sky, concealed by the stars and shifting colours, Io channelled the moon’s energy within her body, letting its soft power run through her veins and out through her skin and the tips of her fingers. She raised her arms, wrapping moonlight around her fingertips, moving and manoeuvring it’s light, changing its shape and moulding it into her will. She kept her eyes trained to the two men that sat on the mountainside, concentrating moonlight into a single strong beam that shot down from the large moon.

The two men sat in what appeared to be an iridescent circle, showered in the strong ray that the moon emitted. Both turning to look at each other in confusion, not understanding what Io might be up to. Only observing her strange actions and going along with what she was trying to do.

From back in the Realm, Buck stood so he could get a better look at the ring around the two, waving his hand over it to watch his shadow break the perfect rays. Jenos simply stared up into the night sky, almost as if he could feel Io’s intentions from within the stars and the moon, his cheeks starting to heat up, yet he willed the colour away. He wouldn’t let Io get what she wanted, at least not yet. Endless hours had she pestered him about it, apparently it was some big scale ordeal that he loved someone, acting like he had a heart of cool ice that had no capability of loving people which was contrary to the truth, he just failed to show it. Each Resistance member had their own special space within his heart.

Io leaned backwards, rocking her body into ethereal nothingness. She reached out into the stars with her own hand, and out from the crevices, she pulled out her old lap harp. It hadn’t seen the light of day in years, let alone been played, but Io would use it to occupy herself back in her human days. Her father was the one who taught her to sing, to play, to make music. She continued it a few millennia into her godhood, but ultimately became too busy and stopped. Never did she think that today would be the day she would dust of it’s wooden edges, her name engraved into the side and strings starting to uncoil, but Io thought that was just part of its rustic charm. She wasn’t about to through away the lap harp she’s owned for thousands of years just because it was a bit worn and weathered, it was also the only piece of her old family she had left.

Testing the waters, Io tentatively pulled at the small harp’s strings. As a god, she could use her power to amplify her voice and other sounds. This ability of which is usually misspent with some of the more playful gods only using it to mess with Realm goers and yell at each other. But Io was sure she was using it for a good reason, controlling it’s range so she wouldn’t wake the world while it was in it’s peaceful slumber, directing her music towards the two men who watched up at the sky, letting the sound ring smooth off of the strings as she delicately plucked with the tips of her fingers. Sucking in a large breath:

_“Look how she lights up the sky,”_

Neither of the involved men had any clue what was going on, looking to each other for some kind of answer or explanation, but they could only stand and stare. Gazes flickering from each other to the moon, Io was nowhere, yet at the same time, she was everywhere, her soft presence enveloping all that the moonlight touched.

“_Ma Belle Evangeline,” _

Io’s voice was light as a feather, smooth yet still sharp. It was in that moment when it all clicked in Jenos’ head, he had heard the goddess humming the song before, the tune was all too familiar, but he had never heard her sing it, maybe because of nervousness. The god turned his head to the side, seeing how Buck stood, tense and fidgeting awkwardly, unknowing of how to respond. In an attempt to calm him and relieve the tension in his muscles, Jenos reached out and took hold of his hand, looking up at him with the glow in his eyes, watching the other thickly swallow under the pressure.

“I believe to music such as this, two people would usually dance.” Jenos spoke almost as if nervousness wasn’t eating him alive as well, but he maintained his composure when he proposed his offer. Holding Buck’s hand gently in his own, awaiting his response in a very short moment of silence.

“_So far above me yet I,”_

“But I uh… I don’ know how ta’ dance…” Buck rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand in nervousness, his face starting to heat up, and fast. Never in his life had he every been asked to dance and especially not by the resident star god. Whom of which was not just extremely cute but also analytical, smart, direct and yet still kind in his own way, Buck couldn’t name a single thing about him that wasn’t perfect.

_“Know her heart belongs to only me,”_

“Then I will guide you” Jenos used ethereal force to position Buck’s hands in the correct places, one in the crease of the god’s back and one entwined with the others.

Io’s voice trailed out for a moment, only her harp could be heard from the night sky, its delicate strings being the only music the two needed. The movements started off slow, Jenos lowered himself to the ground so he could help Buck gain footing. While he used his knowledge that he had been taught hundreds of years ago, it was nice to let someone less experienced take the lead and learn the ropes of something he already knew, and it was too precious.

“_Je t’adore, Je t’aime, Evangeline. You’re my queen of the night, so still, so bright,”_

Starting to gain some kind of rhythm that he never had before, Buck pushed in closer to Jenos so their chests pressed flush against one another. Loosening his grip on the others hand slightly, now relieved of some of the nervous tension. The god was happy to oblige with the new movements, his face starting to crack into a small smile to match the others giddy wide grin.

“_That someone as beautiful as she, could love someone like me,”_

Jenos removed his hands and pushed Buck’s arms away, instead grabbing onto both of his hands and intertwining their fingers, raising his body off of the ground and pulling the other body up with him. Startled in a slight panic, Buck had a moment where he couldn’t process that he was being lifted off of the ground right into the night air. He was held close so he wouldn’t float away or fall and Jenos kept his gravity still.

“_Love always finds a way, it’s true,”_

With little to no control, or no clue how to maintain control, Buck let Jenos take the lead. Pulling him along in the night air with swift fluid movements, slow and steady as to not let their fingers break apart. Never having been this bold before, Jenos was feeling slightly confident since the other was going along with his advances. At some point he had taken off his mask and thrown it down to the mountain side, exposing his face to the night air, lost in the strange daze that he was getting from the situation.

“_And I love you, Evangeline,”_

Io’s voice once again faded out, leaving only her delicate notes to be weaved out from the metal strings of her rusty harp. She watched intently over the scene that was unfolding right before her eyes, she had never known that in the best of times, Jenos could show passion too, that he could portray his interest in another, that it wouldn’t have to stay locked away forever within him to be eternally dwelled on.

“_Love is beautiful, love is wonderful, love is everything, do you agree? Mais oui,”_

The two men were preoccupied with twirling and spinning in shining moonlight that Buck hadn’t noticed that Jenos was pulling them back towards the mountain side, letting both their feet plant flat on the grass.

“Look… I gotta say… You’ve been real good to me tonight and uh… It’s been kinda weird ‘cause… I uhh… Kinda like you? -Not like in a friendship way or anything! But… maybe in a way that would let us do this kinda stuff again sometime..?” Buck fished around in his head for some kind of coherent sentence, his face too flushed and his mind too muddled to be able to piece together proper words.

“You need not worry, I- I too have such feelings that cause my heart to stir anytime I’m around you…” Jenos nervously tucked a lock of blue hair behind his ear in an attempt to distract himself from the conversation, even though it was turning out better than he could have hoped

”_Look how she lights up the sky,”_

“Does this mean ‘m allowed to kiss ya?” Buck leaned slightly forward, looking down into Jenos’ eyes that swirled with a soulful blue colour, covered over in an emotional glossy sheen. He never thought that the god could be hiding such beauty behind his mask, amazed at the feminine yet sharp features he had.

“I have never kissed anyone in my lifetime…” Jenos kept his voice small, almost as if he was ashamed of saying it.

“It’s alright, I’ll show ya’,” Buck leaned down, connecting their lips and letting them both melt into the intimacy of the kiss. The warmth and passion that laid behind the movements, Buck taking the lead and pushing further into the god, pressing their bodies even closer together.

_“I love you, Evangeline.”_

**Author's Note:**

> ship buck x jenos or perish


End file.
